By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: Two people were killed and several others injured in violence and police firing in Kasargod on Sunday. One was killed in police firing and the other was stabbed. Shafeeq (18) of Cheruvathoor was killed in police firing and Muhammed Ashar (21) was stabbed to death. Section 144 has been implemented in the Kasargod city by the district Collector following the clashes.
The hartal called by the UDF district committee in Kasargod district today ended without any violent acts. Road transport was not there in the normal way. A considerable amount of police force is camping in the district.
Violence followed the public meeting organised by the district committee of the Muslim League in Kasargod. Four people were stabbed. Twenty police men including the district police superintendent were injured. Stones were pelted at several buildings and vehicles. There have been reports that the stabbings were done by activists of the BJP.
There was an attack on the Salafi Centre in Amay Road. Stone-pelting has reportedly damaged the doors and windows of the mosque. A freelance photographer was attacked and kept hostage in a shop for some time. The violence that began at around 6 in the evening reportedly continued till late night. The lesser number of police and the swarming crowds of people who attended the meeting reportedly made the violence hard to be controlled.
The public meeting was arranged by the district committee to honour the state president of the Muslim League Hyderali Shihab Thangal, state general secretary PK Kunhalikkutty and national secretary MP Abdussamad Samadani. Violence began when a group of people who had come for the meeting clashed with some policemen at the old Press Club junction. The people reportedly pelted stones when the police questioned them of the bike race they were conducting. When stone-pelting continued, the police reportedly broke tear gas shells, then fired into the air and then at the people.
Police also reportedly fired tear gas when a group of people attacked two police jeeps. The office of the Muslim League in the Uduma panchayat was set ablaze by attackers.
Police forces have been called in from the nearby Kannur district to serve in the violence-hit Kasargod. The Kannur University postponed all the exams of Monday to November 21 (Saturday).
The Muslim League has accused that the attackers had come from outside. The party president and general secretary called for the restoration of peace and asked the party members to keep restraint.